A Golden Opportunity to Educate

By Joan Harrigan

            Westminster’s traditional two-day show has morphed into “Westminster Week”—a chance for the dog show world and public alike to gather in celebration of the dog.  Last year, the AKC’s popular “Meet the Breeds” event moved its venue and date to coincide with the Westminster’s agility competition on the Saturday of Westminster Weekend.

            This year, “Meet & Compete” was back—bigger and better than ever.  The aisles in the Meet the Breeds area were widened to accommodate the gridlock of spectators, and the booths spilled from the smaller Pier 92 to Pier 94, with the two piers now linked by a stairway.

            The primary purpose of Meet the Breeds is to allow the public to see a large variety of purebred dogs, and to learn about them from the breeders and owners who love them.  But these events also are an opportunity for the fancy to learn—and not just about breeds other than their own.

            The AKC had several booths.  At one, they sold a wide variety of branded merchandise, but the AKC Government Relations booth had a more serious purpose.  In an era of animal activism, breeders and exhibitors of purebred dogs can feel under fire.  Breed-specific legislation and regulations intended to restrict “puppy mills” affect hobby breeders, as well as the owners of breeds considered “dangerous.”

            The AKC solicited more than 100 state and federal legislators from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to sign on as sponsors of “Meet & Compete.” Jennifer Clark manned the AKC Government Relations booth while Sheila Goff, the AKC’s government relations director, gave a legislator a tour of the event.  Clark pointed out that many officials sent pictures of themselves with their dogs to be posted on Facebook.  And as for the health of the fancy, Clark gestured to the crowds, saying “just look at all the people celebrating dogs and looking for the right dogs for their families!”

            There was also a Federation of Dog Clubs booth, where Diane Taylor of Redding, Conn. spoke eloquently about her mission:  “we help people to understand that we are protecting their right to own a dog of their choice.”

            According to Taylor, in Connecticut, a bill had been proposed to require breeders to have a permit for each breeding, with the local Animal Control Officers given responsibility for reviewing pedigrees prior to granting the permit.  Fortunately, the bill was killed before it could be voted upon, but the fact that it was ever proposed is reason enough for concern.

            Almost 50 all-breed and specialty clubs belong to the Connecticut Federation of Dog Clubs, and Taylor states that the Federation is building a list of volunteers willing and able to speak at hearings and meet with legislators when relevant legislation is proposed.  “We don’t always have a seat at the table to discuss these matters,” Taylor says.  “We need more advocates for the Federation, and we’re reaching out to find them.”

            Taylor pointed to statistics from the National Animal Interest Alliance that show that only about 5% of dogs in shelters are purebreds.  “In Connecticut, we’ve imported 19,000 dogs from the South into our shelters,” Taylor says.  “Purebred breeders in Connecticut are not the problem.”

            The Girl Scouts of America rounded out the educational opportunities at Meet & Compete.  From a centrally-located booth, they offered all children—non-Scouts included—the chance to earn a merit badge by completing a questionnaire that required visiting and learning about multiple breeds.  What a wonderful idea—and one that obviously worked, as children of all ages could be seen entering industriously completing their surveys throughout the venue.  Meet & Compete was a unique opportunity to educate a lot of people in a very short time—the perfect addition to Westminster Week.

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Posted by Tom on Feb 14 2016. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.